Burnt Mill Academy

History

The construction of Burnt Mill Comprehensive School began in 1958 in order to serve the post-war new town of Harlow. The school opened in May 1962 and was originally housed in the site of nearby Passmores School, moving to its own site in September later that year. Originally the school served 169 children and was headed by Ray Stirling. The motto was Adventure In Faith. In 1963, the school opened an evening institute that provided sixth form education. This would be extended into the day as a normal sixth form in 1966. In 1969, the school experienced multiple expansions concerning its buildings and also provided disability units for pupils suffering from partial hearing loss. In 1974, Headteacher Ray Stirling left the school, being replaced by Ronald Wallis in 1975. In 1985, the school's sixth form was discontinued after the county council forced all schools in Harlow to end sixth form provision. Further education was hereafter provided exclusively by the town's tertiary college. A year later, Headteacher Ronald Wallis retired and was succeeded by Anthony Ward. Burnt Mill Comprehensive School would over the years become widely known as Burnt Mill School. This name was even used by the school itself with "Burnt Mill Comprehensive School" falling into disuse. Despite this, the school's legal name until academisation was always Burnt Mill Comprehensive School.

By 2000, the school held community status and had a student body of 970. The headteacher was still Anthony Ward and it was graded as "satisfactory" by Ofsted. The school's partial hearing loss disability units introduced in 1969 were still present and were praised by Ofsted as being "well resourced and effective." Ward left in 2001, being replaced by Silvia Jones. In 2003, the school was designated as a specialist performing arts college under the specialist schools programme. Silvia Jones was succeeded as headteacher in April 2005 by Stephen Chamberlain and in December the school was graded as inadequate by Ofsted. Ofsted mostly criticised the low GCSE results in English, maths and science, stressing that only one in five students achieved a C or above. A C grade in all three subjects was the minimum requirement for employment and entry into college at the time. In 2007, the school recovered and was graded as satisfactory. Later that year, the school would enter the Confucius institute programme, forming a partnership with the Suzhou Lida Middle School in China. The UK government would award Burnt Mill with an International School Award as a result. Headteacher Stephen Chamberlain left Burnt Mill in the summer of 2009, taking up the post of executive principal at the new Clacton Coastal Academy. Two co-acting heads, Ann Davis and Joanna Clark, assumed his post at Burnt Mill.

Inspection judgements

As of 2023, the school's most recent inspection by Ofsted was in 2023, with an outcome of Good.

House system

Burnt Mill Academy has pastorally managed its students using a house system since its inception in 1962. Currently the school has six houses, each named after an influential individual. They are Moore, Eliot, Sheppard, Hunt, Cheshire and Cockcroft. Students are assigned by the house leaders, who also ensure that students maintain participation in house activities and competition. The main mode of competition for the houses at Burnt Mill is through the house point system. Students earn points for their house by participating in the BM Xtra scheme, a form of extracurricular activity at the school. These points are also earned during competitions and house assemblies. Each house is represented by a colour and shield. They also have their own respective mottos featured on these shields.

Awards and recognition

In April 1964, Burnt Mill was visited by Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro, resulting in the school being broadcast on regional BBC News channel Town and Around. Two years later the school was visited again, this time by British Secretary of State for Education Quintin Hogg.

Burnt Mill Academy achieved the Platinum Artsmark Award in 2019.

School site

Burnt Mill's site was built between 1958 and 1962. Most of the buildings were handed over to the school in September 1962, which is when it relocated from the site of Passmores School. Some buildings, such as the school's assembly hall and main teaching block were handed over in 1963. At this time there were three house blocks, six common rooms and 21 classrooms. In 1964, the school began a long tradition of installing "stained-glass windows" every Christmas. This tradition was discontinued in 2021 because of Health and Safety violations according to one of the school's teachers.

Notable former pupils

Michael Arthur, academic

Lily-Rose Aslandogdu, actress

Liam Byrne, politician

Graham Cole, actor

Scott Hann, Director of Coaching

Glenn Hoddle, footballer, manager, pundit

Carl Hoddle, footballer, coach

Richard Keogh, footballer

DJ Nihal, BBC radio presenter

Bill Rammell, politician

Stephen Sparrow, Phil Titus, of the indie band Morning Parade

Josh Tedeku, actor

Jaime Winstone, actor

Headteachers

Ray Stirling (1962–1974)

Ronald Wallis (1975–1986)

Anthony Ward (1986–2001)

Sylvia Jones (2002–2005)

Stephen Chamberlain (2005–2009)

Ann Davis and Joanna Clark (co-ruling and acting 2009–2010)

Helena Mills (2010–2015, de facto executive 2019–present)

John Blaney (2015–2017, executive 2017–2019)

Laura McGlashan (2017–present)